One-piece frame for game board or the like



Apnl 21, 1964 G. H. CALVERLEY 3,129,942

ONE-PIECE FRAME FOR GAME BOARD OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 23, 1960 00000000000, 36 0000000000 4/ ZQOQOQOOOOOET 4 I: 5

000000000 T; M ooooooooooo 000000000000 37 o'lo oooooooooo INVENTOR- GEORGE CALVERLEY T ORA/E) United States Patent 3,129,942 ONE-PHEQE FRAME FGR GAME BOARD OR THE LEE George H. Calverley, Racine, Wis., assignor to Whitman Publishing Company, Racine, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Dec. 23, 195i), Ser. No. 78,h97 Claims. (61. 273136) This invention relates to a combined frame and board of a type, for example, which is employed for games, pictures, and like utilitarian or display devices.

This particular invention has special application in the field of framing a board for a game or toy, and accordingly is the following specification directed at that particular application for the purpose of describing the invention and disclosing same. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a combined frame and board which can be readily and easily manufactured in an inexpensive process with both a minimum of materials and labor costs, but yet with a high degree of quality and attractiveness in the end product.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved combination of a frame and a game board or the like wherein the combination can be manufactured with the frame made in one piece to present an endless structure so that no separate assembly of frame pieces is required, and wherein the board or display device is likewise made in one piece, and with the two adapted to be readily assembled together by simply attaching the board to the frame. In accomplishing both this and the foregoing object, the resulting end product is inexpensive and simple to assemble and it also lends itself to merchandising in that it can be efficiently handled and openly displayed in the merchandising process.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a combined frame and game board and to also include a compartment wherein tokens employed in playing the game can be both readily stored and counted. Thus, in this particular object, the entire game is combined and packaged in one product, all of which is attached to the particular frame and no additional boxing or the like is therefore required. Also, in this object, the product is so combined and arranged that it is self-contained, as mentioned and can therefore be placed on a merchants shelf or displayed on the wall, and it is also adapted for being disposed in a flat position on a table top or the like for the purpose of playing the game.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a combined frame and game board wherein the two can be readily assembled by flexing the frame for the purpose of inserting the game board, however the frame is so arranged that the board is not easily removed from the frame except by means of a particular movement of the side of the frame, and therefore the frame and board are easily assembled but yet are secure in their assembled position, and also the game board is neatly framed by the frame structure without the edges of the board being visible from the front of the frame.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following description in light of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of that shown in FIG. 1, but with the board removed.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the lines 33 of FIG. 1 and showing one marble or token included in FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

3,129,942 Patented Apr. 21, 1964 FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a rear view of a fragment of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but showing the manner in which the frame side can be flexed for insertion or even removal of the board.

The same reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views.

The drawings show a frame generally designated 10 and which consists of sides 11, 12, 13, and 14 which extend around the center device or game board generally designated 16. Thus, the frame 10 serves as the support and edge closure for the center board 16 which happen to be shown as a Chinese checkers board with the usual holes 17 formed therein in the star pattern shown.

At this time it will also be noted that a box or retainer member generally designated 13 is included in the frame 10 as the frame 10 and the box 18 are preferably formed by molding a plastic material into one integral unit including the two elements mentioned.

Thus, FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 show the box 18 to be attached to or integral with the adjacent frame sides 13 and 14 as the two are preferably made in the one plastic mold as mentioned.

With the frame and box arrangement described above, no additional assembly is required for either the frame sides 11 through 14 or for the box 18 with respect to the frame 10. All of these parts are made in one piece and need not be passed to a factory assembly line for disposing them in the integral relation shown in the drawings.

At this time it might further be noted that the box 18 is provided with a cover 19 which is removable from the box 18 and the cover 19 can of course be also shot in the same plastic mold and then it can simply be placed in the assembled position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 after the tokens or marbles 21 have been placed in the box 18 as indicated in FIG. 3. It will of course be understood that the entire box 18 will be filled with marbles 21, and both the box 18 and the cover 19 have recesses or holes 22 and 23 respectively for the nesting of the marbles 21 in the holes. In this manner, the holes 22 in the box 18, for instance, automatically secure and count the marbles 21 so that both the manufacturer and the game players can readily determine the correct number of marbles by simply filling the box or of course by filling any fraction of the box. At this time it will also be noted that the box 18 is provided with two front notches or recesses 24 and two rear notches or recesses 26 which extend only through the lower portion of the box 18 as clearly shown in FIG. 3. Then the cover 19 has two forwardly located tabs 27 and two rearwardly located tabs 28 which respectively snap or are disposed in the recesses 24 and 26. Also, the cover 19 has a front finger tab or projection 29 which facilitates the insertion and removal of the cover 19 with respect to the box 18 by permitting the user to bear up or push down on the projection 29 with a finger pressure. It will then be understood that the box 18 is slightly flexible so that the tabs 27 and 28 of the cover 19 will snap intothe positions shown in FIG. 3 for securing the cover 19 on the box 18. In actual operation, the rear tabs 28 would first be placed within the recesses 26 and then the front tabs 27 would be pushed downwardly over the inclined or curved surface 31 disposed above the front recesses 24 on the box 18 so that the tabs 27 can readily slide downwardly in the box 18 to the position shown in FIG. 3.

It will of course be understood that the board 16 is of a relatively rigid cardboard type of material, and it is also preferred that the frame 10 be sufficiently rigid or inflexible to adequately support the board 16, both for the purpose of merchandising and for the purpose of using the device in playing a game. However, since the frame is made in one integral piece and the board 16 is of a size greater than that of the inner edge 32 of the frame 10, the latter is flexible so that the board and frame can be assembled without requiring a separate assembly of the frame sides as previously mentioned. FIG. 4 therefore shows that the outer edge of the board 16 overlaps or extends beyond the inner frame edge 32 so that the latter can properly cover the board edge in the desired manner of framing the board. However, to permit that the two be assembled when the board is actually oversize with respect to the frame inner dimensional edge 32, the frame is made of a flexible material which can be twisted rather than flexed in bending so that the board can be readily but yet securely assembled with the frame It).

FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 show the characteristics of the frame such that the board 16 can be assembled therewith and the board will extend between the frame top piece 33 and the frame lower projections or tabs 34. In the embodiment shown, FIG. 2 shows that three lower projections or tabs 34 are included while the frame fourth side 13 has a similar projection 35 which also extends below the edge of the board 16 to support the latter as desired. These three figures also show that the cross section of the frame sides is such that the sides can be twisted rather than deflected for the purpose of sliding the edge of the board between the frame top 33 and the lower tab 34. after the other three sides of the board have already been assembled with the frame by simply sliding the board under the frame between the respective sides and the tabs 34 and 35.

The particular feature of twising the frame side as contrasted to bending is possible by virtue of the cross sectional shape of the sides as mentioned. That is, the cross section is extended for a substantial length in both the length of the side wall 36 and for the length of the top extension 37 which has the oblique and horizontal or flat length shown clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5. That is, considering the orientation shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the frame side 36 cannot be readily deflected in the vertical direction which is in the plane of the side 36, nor can they be deflected in the horizontal direction which is in the general plane of the top extent 37 of the cross section. However, the frame side can be twisted as indicated in FIG. 6, and such twist or rotation of the sides is about the longitudinal axis of the respective frame sides. Such twisting motion as shown in FIG. 6, permits the remaining edge 38 of the board 16 to be slipped between the frame lower support or projection 34 and the upper portion 33 as desired.

Since the frame does not bend in the plane of the side 36 or in the general horizontal plane of the top 37, the board is securely held against accidental displacement from the frame it) since generally only the twisting motion shown and described is possible for the removal of the board from the frame in.

Therefore, in the assembled position, the edge of the generally rectangular board 16, overlaps the frame edge 32 to extend below and therebeyond the latter, except of course for a cut-out portion around the box 18 as indicated in FIG. 3. Thus, the board extends to a wall or stop 41 depending on the frame sides and below the upper surface 33 so that the board is of course aligned with the frame by simply slipping the board all the way to one edge, say the edge 13 of the frame, so that the frame upper edge 11 can then be twisted for final assembly of board and frame. The wall 41 extends around the frame 10 in the latters sides 11, 12, 13, and 14 to define the interior opening of the frame for the board 16.

What is claimed is:

l. A combined frame and game board to be displayed and supported in said frame, comprising a one-piece and endless member of a flexible material and having an open interior for the reception of said board, upper and lower portions of said member projecting into said interior and having a space therebetween for receiving the thickness of said board therebetween and securing the latter to said frame, at least one of said portions disposed On a length of said frame being shorter than the adjacent other of said portions for twisting said length to insert said board in said space defined on one side by said one of said portions, a game token box integral with said frame in the plane of the latter and on a side thereof opposite said length for retaining tokens used in the playing of the game and having pockets for the counting of said tokens, said board having an opening for receiving said box and a cover for said box to render the combination self-contained.

2. A self-contained and one-piece frame for a game board or the like, comprising a rectangularly shaped endless member of a flexible plastic material and including sides and corners and having an open interior for the reception of said board, said sides being of a substantially right-angular cross-sectional shape and being inflexible in the plane of both legs thereof and including spaced-apart portions projecting toward said interior for supporting the edge of said board therebetween, at least one of said portions being spaced from said corners disposed to opposite ends of said one of said portions for displacement of said one of said portions upon twisting of same about the axis of said cross-sectional shape for movement over the edge of said board, a game token box molded integrally with said frame and having notches on opposite sides of the interior thereof and being flexible on one side thereof, and a box cover disposed in said box and including tabs received in said notches for securing said cover onto said box and said cover being removable therefrom by flexing said side of said box to release said tabs.

3. A polygonally shaped frame and game board, comprising a game board, an endless frame of a flexible material and including sides and corners constituting an endless wall extending throughout said frame in the plane of said board and being transverse thereto and defining an open interior for the reception of said board, said sides including spaced-apart portions extending on opposite faces of said board and projecting toward the center of said open interior for supporting the peripheral edges of said board therebetween, at least one of said portions being of a limited length shorter than the length of the one of said sides containing said one of said portions and being spaced from said corners disposed to opposite ends of said one of said sides a distance so related to the flexibility of said frame that said one of said sides can be twisted for displacement of said one of said portions upon twisting of same for movement over the corresponding one of said edges of said board.

4. A frame and game board to be displayed and supported in said frame, comprising a board, a one-piece and endless frame of substantially a right angled crosssectional shape and including sides and corners and having an open interior for the reception of said board, a first portion of said frame extending around the interior thereof along said sides and on one leg of said right angled shape and transverse to the other leg thereof to overlap the peripheral edges of said board on one face of the latter, a second portion of said frame extending for only a limited length less than the length of said first portion and on the interior of said one leg and being spaced from and parallel to said first portion on the other face of said board and securing the latter to said frame, said frame being formed of a flexible material and said second portion being of said limited length and being spaced from said corners a distance so related to the flexibility of said frame that the latter can be twisted about the longitudinal axis of said cross-sectional shape for displacement of said second portion to insert said board in said space, and said frame being rigid in the directions normal to said axis for resisting deflection in said directions.

5. A combined frame and game board to be displayed and supported in said frame, comprising a board, a onepiece and endless member of a flexible material and including sides and corners and having an open interior for the reception of said board and an upper inner edge for overlapping a peripheral portion of said board and a lower inner edge of a limited length less than said upper inner edge and extending along said peripheral portion of said board and extending parallel to said upper inner edge and overlapping said peripheral portion of said board and with said edges being equal in their extents toward the center of said interior and having a space therebetween for receiving the thickness of said board and securing the latter to said frame, said material of said frame being flexible and the length of said lower edge being less than the length of said upper edge and centrally disposed with respect thereto and spaced from said corners a distance so related to the flexibility of said frame that said frame can be twisted for displacement of said upper edge for movement over said peripheral portion of said board to insert and remove said board with respect to said space defined by said edges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 822,354 Duncan June 5, 1906 2,181,874 Cross Dec. 5, 1939 2,218,998 Weiss Oct. 22, 1940 2,235,615 Huifaker Mar. 18, 1941 2,388,431 Neiman Nov. 6, 1945 2,528,366 Houston Oct. 31, 1950 2,716,804 Johnson Sept. 6, 1955 2,967,714 Calabrese Jan. 10, 1961 2,987,812 Donaldson June 13, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 722,249 France Dec. 28, 1931 

3. A POLYGONALLY SHAPED FRAME AND GAME BOARD, COMPRISING A GAME BOARD, AN ENDLESS FRAME OF A FLEXIBLE MATERIAL AND INCLUDING SIDES AND CORNERS CONSTITUTING AN ENDLESS WALL EXTENDING THROUGHOUT SAID FRAME IN THE PLANE OF SAID BOARD AND BEING TRANSVERSE THERETO AND DEFINING AN OPEN INTERIOR FOR THE RECEPTION OF SAID BOARD, SAID SIDES INCLUDING SPACED-APART PORTIONS EXTENDING ON OPPOSITE FACES OF SAID BOARD AND PROJECTING TOWARD THE CENTER OF SAID OPEN INTERIOR FOR SUPPORTING THE PERIPHERAL EDGES OF SAID BOARD THEREBETWEEN, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID PORTIONS BEING OF A LIMITED LENGTH SHORTER THAN THE LENGTH OF THE ONE OF SAID SIDES CONTAINING SAID ONE OF SAID PORTIONS AND BEING SPACED FROM SAID CORNERS DISPOSED TO OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID ONE OF SAID SIDES A DISTANCE SO RELATED TO THE FLEXIBILITY OF SAID FRAME THAT SAID ONE OF SAID SIDES CAN BE TWISTED FOR DISPLACEMENT OF SAID ONE OF SAID PORTIONS UPON TWISTING OF SAME FOR MOVEMENT OVER THE CORRESPONDING ONE OF SAID EDGES OF SAID BOARD. 